Best of CASE District VI Award
 

Institution: Colorado State University

Title of entry: The Big Stink: How CSU Made a Flower Go Viral

About this entry: In spring 2024, Colorado State University (CSU) embarked on a once-in-a-decade storytelling opportunity when its rare corpse flower, "Cosmo," bloomed for the first time after eight years of anticipation, emitting a foul odor and living up to its name as the corpse flower. This extraordinary (and intensely smelly) botanical event became the centerpiece of a multi-platform narrative that engaged audiences through immersive storytelling, blending science, spectacle, and community participation.

Our Social and Digital Media and Communications teams collaborated with the College of Agricultural Sciences to craft a compelling real-time story across social media, video, and digital news content. Using a combination of live updates, educational explainers, and visual storytelling, including a viral Instagram timelapse with 3.8 million views, the campaign captivated viewers from curiosity to climax. Strategic messaging framed Cosmo’s bloom as both a scientific marvel and an emotional, once-in-a-lifetime experience, drawing nearly 10,000 visitors to campus and sparking international media interest.

The success of the campaign extended beyond engagement metrics: it inspired donations for CSU’s Plant Growth Facilities, strengthened CSU’s reputation in botanical research, and fostered a shared sense of wonder. By weaving real-time updates, expert commentary, and audience interaction into a cohesive narrative, our team and collaborators transformed a fleeting biological event into a lasting digital legacy.